|
Ligria and Matria
She wandered into her mother’s extensive gardens and found a bench to sit on. She sighed heavily and rested her head in her hands, propping her elbows up on her knees. “Why does Mother always insist on my standing for Search? I never get chosen and it’s always such a disappointment. I suppose after all this time it really shouldn’t bother me anymore.” She jumped as a nearby bush rustled then smiled sadly as her friend Matria stepped out of the shrubbery, looking around warily. Ligria sighed and shook her head at her friend. “Are they gone?” Matria asked, still looking around nervously, but she heaved a sigh of relief and plopped down on the bench when Ligria nodded. “Thank goodness! Is it just me or have those Searches been coming through here more often recently?” “They have been coming a lot,” replied Ligria with a sigh. “I’m beginning to think they just like to torture me.” “Well, I know they like torturing me,” said Matria, pulling a few twigs from her long red hair. “I’m having to become very creative with my hiding places, your mother’s getting very good at finding me! This time I was walking in the garden and had jump into that bush there to get away from her!” “I don’t understand why you don’t want to be Searched,” said Ligria, chuckling softly at her friend’s antics, “you know you’d make a great dragonrider.” “Oh but my parents would kill me!” replied Matria, eyes wide. “They’re set on my marrying some handsome Lord Holder and being able to care for them in their old age. I don’t think they quite realize I have no intention of getting married ever!” “So, why don’t you go to the weyr? They can’t say anything about it once you’ve got a dragon,” said Ligria with a soft smile for her friend’s strong conviction. “Well, then who’d be here to cheer you up when the dragonriders left?” said Matria flippantly and Ligria laughed. “I’m sure I’d survive,” said Ligria, brushing it off. “No seriously, Ligria dearest,” said Matria taking her friend’s hand in her own and looking at her with a very sincere look in her eyes, “I worry about you. You take this Search thing far too seriously, though I’m entirely sure the Weyrs don’t know what they’re missing.” Ligria was suddenly very uncomfortable with the way her best friend was looking at her and stood up, pulling her hand from Matria’s grasp. “Thank you, but I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.” “Ligria,” said Matria with a sigh but Ligria just shook her head and started to leave. “No, I need to go, Mother will be requiring my assistance,” and with that she rushed off, not sure what to think about the way Matria had been looking at her. She did not seek out her mother; instead she rushed to her room and locked the door. Sitting down on her bed she laid her hands in her lap but could not keep them still. She dry-washed them for quite a while then got up and started pacing the room, hands clenched in her skirts. She really didn’t know what to think about the way Matria had been acting recently. She knew the young woman would make an excellent dragonrider but her friend seemed to have no desire to leave her behind. She always spoke of how she’d never be married and immediately found some reason to take Ligria’s hand in her own. And it always ended the same way, it made Ligria very nervous and she would find some reason to run off. Then she would feel uncomfortable around her friend until she realized her friend was not going to try anything anymore. This time was different though, rather than letting her run off Matria sought her out in her room. Ligria opened the door warily and let her friend in. Matria smiled apologetically as she closed the door behind her. Ligria smiled nervously back at her friend and sat down stiffly on the edge of the bed. “I’m sorry, Ligria,” said Matria, pausing to take a deep breath, “it’s just that I always assumed you knew and that that’s why you were my friend. I should have realized when I saw you eyeing the blueriders when those first Searches came through, but I didn’t want to. I’m sorry.” “Assumed I knew what?” asked Ligria, eyes wide, not willing to admit to herself what she’d probably always known about her best friend. Matria just gave her a significant look and Ligria looked down at her hands and nodded her head. “I know you don’t feel the same way, Ligria, but I just kept hoping perhaps that would change.” “I’m sorry,” said Ligria for lack of anything better to say but Matria just shook her head. “Don’t be, neither of us have lost a friend and I’ll just have to look elsewhere for that something more.” Ligria smiled shyly up at her friend and Matria returned the smile. “I’ll just have to find a hiding place closer to the courtyard so I can spy on the greenriders when they come on Search!” she declared with a wink at her friend and Ligria laughed. “You really should go to the Weyr, Matria, it’s where you belong.” “I’ll go when you go, deal?” “No way,” replied Ligria, “I’m not taking that deal because I’ll never get to go!” “You will,” said Matria with a secretive smile, “it’s just not your time yet.” Ligria just shook her head at her friend and sighed, looking wistfully out the window at the almost cloudless blue sky and wishing fruitlessly for the millionth time. Continue... |